Amazing Animals: Marine Mammal Quiz

When you think of marine life, you probably think about scaly fish with gills, but there are a variety of aquatic mammals that breathe air. So hold your breath and dive into the marine mammals quiz!

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Question 1 of 10

What's the largest animal on Earth?

blue whale

By considerable measure, the largest known animal on Earth is the blue whale. Mature blue whales can measure anywhere from 75 feet (23 meters) to 100 feet (30.5 meters) from head to tail, and can weigh as much as 150 tons (136 metric tons).

humpback whale

whale shark

Question 2 of 10

What marine mammal is referred to as the "wolf of the sea"?

narwhal

manatee

orca

Orcas, or killer whales, which are known for their fierce group-hunting style, have been called the "wolves of the sea."

Question 3 of 10

What do baleen whales lack that other whales have?

eyes

teeth

Instead of pearly whites, baleen whales have plates with coarse broomlike bristles -- sort of like a mustache instead of teeth.

blowholes

Question 4 of 10

What's the longest amount of time that whales can go without breathing?

20 minutes

75 minutes

two hours

Beaked whales can hold their breath for up to two hours.

Question 5 of 10

What are narwhal tusks made of?

ivory

Narwhal tusks are made of ivory.

calcium

limestone

Question 6 of 10

What special sense do dolphins and some whales use to hear underwater?

passive sonar

echolocation

A dolphin's sonar process, also used by bats and some whales, is called echolocation.

lateral line

Question 7 of 10

Which body part of a walrus is most useful for hunting?

eyes

tusks

whiskers

Walruses possess anywhere from 400 to 700 whiskers, arranged in 13 to 15 rows around the nose. These whiskers, also known as vibrissae, are attached to muscles and are supplied with blood and nerves, which makes them highly sensitive in order to detect prey.

Question 8 of 10

What's the easiest way to tell the difference between true seals and sea lions?

Look at the whiskers.

Look at the ears.

True seals have no external ears, while sea lions (and fur seals) do.

Look at the size of the body.

Question 9 of 10

"Floating gold" is another name for what marine mammal excretion?

whale vomit

Whale vomit, or ambergris, can fetch between $10 and $20 per gram. Ambergris is used as an ingredient in fine perfume because of its unique odor and ability to make a scent "stick" to the skin.

walrus sweat

dolphin feces

Question 10 of 10

Which of the following is a difference between dolphins and porpoises?

Porpoises are considered toothed whales, while dolphins aren't.

Porpoises have rounded, blunt muzzles, and dolphins have pointed ones.

Both are toothed whales, but dolphins have pointy, cone-shaped snouts, while porpoises have rounded ones.